


I'll Wait

by Mrs_Monaghan



Series: Pleasing My Readers (prompts) [9]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Cheating, M/M, Season 7 didn't happen, more cheating, this is really difficult for me to write because Ian is my baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 17:19:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8632021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_Monaghan/pseuds/Mrs_Monaghan
Summary: Prompt:Ian and Mickey get back together. Mickey says he forgives him.Ian doesn't believe him. He knows for sure Mickey hasn't forgiven him.But, he will wait. (changed summary)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Let it be known that unlike many i do not hate Ian despite what has happened in canon. in simple terms this is how i see it. Mickey lovers seem to forget how Mickey was between season 1 and 3 and that Ian is the one who got hurt and cried and all that other stuff. then season 4 Mickey changed and he became this perfect boyfriend.  
> Now, Because of what happened in 5x10 and 6x1 people are lashing out at Ian. but the way i see it, their actions cancel each other out. (Mickey treated Ian like shit before and now Ian did it to him) Neither of them is perfect. Which is why i still feel they deserve each other and should **be** together.
> 
> so my stories will always have a happy ending. ALWAYS. so as you prompt me think about that.  
> this is the first and last prompt i will write where Ian........suffers. 
> 
> #enjoy

Ian goes to pick up Mickey at his new job at a garage in the North side. He parks and leans against the car with his hands in his pockets as he waits for his boyfriend to come out. He sees Mickey walk out wiping at what is probably grease on his hands. He's about to call his name when he sees one of the other mechanics wearing a black apron walk towards Mickey. The guy starts talking to Mickey and wipes at something on Mickey's face. Ian bites the inside of his cheek and waits for the inevitable. 

Mickey just laughs and doesn’t even bother stopping the guy. Ian turns away from the scene and faces the other direction.

This is what happens these days. Mickey served five years and had been released for good behavior. The moment Ian heard Mickey had been released he had gone to the Milkovich home to talk to the other man. Ian has never really stopped loving Mickey throughout the years, and the reason he dated around was because he didn’t like being alone. And after what happened during his last visit –where Ian had just started adjusting to his meds- Ian figured Mickey would never want to see him again. So he had stayed away. But the other man had never left his heart leave alone his mind. 

When he had asked Mickey to get back together with him, Ian had been surprised at how fast Mickey had said yes. He had expected to beg and grovel but that hadn’t been the case. Mickey had just replied “Sure” and they had started dating again. Truth be told that had been too easy and Ian should have questioned why Mickey hadn’t gotten angry or mad, or at least gotten angry about him not visiting and not waiting for him. 

Now of course Ian knew why. They had been dating for exactly three months now where Mickey flirted with other men openly, and to pour salt on a open wound, sometimes he would go ahead as to sleep with these men. Mickey didn’t even try to hide it. He did it in front of Ian he didn’t care what Ian thought or felt. It hurt, it hurt to see Mickey laugh and encourage every man who hit on him. But the way Ian sees it, he deserves it. After everything he had done, he did deserve what Mickey was doing to him.

So he sat back and took it. He took all of it. He took the flirting, he took the cheating, and he took the disregard for his feelings. He took all of it because it was to be expected that Mickey would be angry. It would be expected that Mickey would want revenge on Ian. For the fact that despite going to jail _because of him_ Ian never visited or called. 

And Ian understood that. So even though the jealousy and the pain were too much, Ian stayed. He stays because he loves Mickey with everything he owns. And he plans on waiting it out. In his heart he knows this is just for a while. A while might be months sure, but Ian knows in his heart that Mickey loves him, otherwise he would not have taken him back. So he is sure a time will come where Mickey will stop. Stop hurting him, stop breaking his heart.

When he decides that Ian has had enough he will stop.

So Ian stands there and waits for Mickey to stop flirting with his workmate and leave with him. Because despite what Mickey does he always leaves with Ian. He always comes home to Ian. That has got to count for something, right?

“Hey.” Mickey greets with a hand on Ian's back.

“Hey.” Ian replies and smiles at him. 

Mickey kisses him and they get in the car. 

 

___________

 

“So I got invited to this party tonight, you coming?” Mickey asks as they're eating dinner.

The weekend starts tomorrow and both of them will be off so it makes sense that Mickey would want to go out. Ian however doesn’t want to go and watch as his boyfriend makes out with other men and leaves Ian alone without warning to go and fuck strangers. Sure if Ian stays home he will know that’s what Mickey is doing but atleast he won't witness it. Not tonight.

He finishes chewing and looks at Mickey. “No, you go. Feeling tired I'm just gonna… go to bed I guess.” 

He finishes with an ache in his chest. But it's a pain he has learnt to control after three months. He has become very good at faking it. He tries not to show Mickey that it bothers him. besides, the other man has to know it bothers him otherwise he wouldn’t do it. 

Mickey showers an hour later and kisses Ian before walking out. The moment the door closes behind him Ian slides down the wall and lets go. He cries and cries and cries all the hurt and pain away. When Mickey comes back tonight he will go straight to the bathroom to shower. Like he always does when he fucks someone else. Atleast he spares Ian the pain of smelling sex on his boyfriend.

When he can no longer feel a lump in his throat, he stands up and gets in the shower. After he's done he goes to bed and curls in on himself. 

Ian can suffer for a little while longer. Ian can wait for Mickey to forgive him. He loves him too much to walk away. 

Yes, Ian will wait.

He doesn’t know for how long he stares into the darkness before sleep finally takes over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh boy!


	2. Chapter 2

The next evening when Ian comes home from work, he finds Lip waiting by the steps outside the Milkovich home. 

Ian side steps him and goes to open the door. They both walk inside. "What's up?"

"Nothing really just that," Lip clears his throat and plays with a loose string on the couch. "I was at this party last night."

Ian takes off his jacket. "And that's news to me because..."

"Mickey was there."

"Oh?" Ian goes into the kitchen and busys himself trying to avoid looking at his brother. 

"Are you...in like an open relationship now?" Lip is closer. 

"No."

"Didn't think so. Which is why I'm here. Mickey was chatting with this guy last night and I'm pretty sure they left together."

Ian makes a sound at the back of his throat but quickly covers it up with a cough. He had expected this but the pain still hits him like a punch to the gut. 

"Ian did you hear me? Your boyfriend is fucking cheating on you!"

"I KNOW!" Ian shouts and the tension in the room is palpable. "I know." he repeats, "I know." he says it again, softer. Trying not to tear up in front of Lip. 

"Ian," Lip sighs and scratches his head. "Why are you still here?"

"Because I love him."

"At what cost Ian?" Ian keeps mum and stares at the floor. "This is clearly killing you. Why are you..."

"This is none of your business Lip."

"You're my brother I'm pretty sure it is."

"No it's not. I'm choosing to stay with Mickey and there's nothing you can do about it."

Lip scoffs. "For how long do you plan on suffering until he stops doing this?"

"I'll wait." 

Ian states and walks into his and Mickey's bedroom shutting the door behind him. He paces back and forth until he hears the front door shut. 

Ian walks into the shower and turns it on. He stares as the water goes down and out into the outlet. He gets in with his uniform still on and sits at the corner of the bathtub. He pulls his legs towards him and leans his head on his knees. 

Tears slowly slip down his face but it's impossible to tell he's crying with the water coming down on him. 

Mickey probably hates him. For him do this to him over and over again, he probably doesn't love Ian anymore and only took him back to make him suffer. In which case Lip is right and he really shouldn't be here. 

But what is he supposed to do when he gave Mickey his heart years ago? But is he supposed to do when he thought it was out of sight out of mind but the moment he saw Mickey...

What exactly is he supposed to do? 

He gets out of the shower and removes his clothes. He wipes himself with a towel and takes a look in the mirror. His eyes are red and puffy and he really doesn't want Mickey to see him like this. Or maybe he should, maybe that will make his boyfriend change his ways. 

 

~•

 

When Ian leaves the bathroom he finds take out on the kitchen table. Dammit Mickey is home. He wipes at his face one more time so there's no trace of him crying. He walks into the bedroom to find Mickey seated on the bed. 

"Hey Mick."

"Hi." Mickey replies and looks at him. 

Ian avoids his eyes and goes to look for a T-shirt and sweats. "How was umm... you have fun?"

"Sure." Ian sniffs and nods to himself. He finishes dressing and gets in bed. "I brought dinner, you're not going to eat?" 

Ian who is still facing the other direction shakes his head 'no'. "Not hungry."

He hears the bed dip and he knows it's Mickey getting up. He doesn't see Mickey linger by door staring at his sleeping form. He doesn't notice that Mickey stands there for almost ten minutes. 

 

_______________

 

"Look at this, can you believe this shit?" Mickey asks Ian as he points at the TV. 

Ian peaks from the kitchen where he's making dinner. "What?"

"They expect us to believe that this tiny man is actually gonna win this fight?"

Ian laughs. "Sometimes people are too overconfident and that's what ends them." Ian goes back into rolling the meatballs. 

"Whatever, it's fucking bullshit. Dinner ready? 'M fucking starving."

He can hear Mickey's voice getting louder and he quickly covers the cooked meatballs. "No, no Mick, we talked about this. You have to wait," he laughs as Mickey tries to get around him. "wait until I'm done."

"Okay, okay, fine." Mickey says with both his hands up but with the way he's smirking Ian doubts him. 

Suddenly Mickey is on him and tickling the hell out of him. They drop to the floor as Ian laughs until tears come out of his eyes. "Fine....fi.. fine just please stop!"

"That's what I'm fucking talking about!" Mickey gets up and takes two meatballs and shows them to Ian triumphantly. "Trying to be mean with your balls." he clicks his tongue and goes back to the living room. 

Ian gets up and continues cooking with a smile on his face. It's been two weeks since his last break down and he has started noticing changes in Mickey. First he started talking more. Before it was one word answers but now Mickey is back to his normal self actually making jokes and starting conversations. Ian is flabbergasted, he doesn't even know how to react this days. 

And when they kissed this morning, it was more than a peck. It was a real kiss. Like a real kiss with tongue and like feelings. It was a real genuine kiss. Ian doesn't know if Mickey is still fucking around but with the small changes he can see in Mickey he's hoping the cheating will stop too. 

 

_________________

 

The surprise of all surprises happens when they go for burgers at a cafe they've been to before. Ian really doesn't want to go in there because he's pretty sure Mickey fucked the waiter who was serving them last time. 

But like all the previous times Ian reigns it all in and follows Mickey inside. They take a table by the corner and it's a different waiter this time but he's extremely cute so it doesn't make Ian feel better. 

~•

They walk out of the cafe with Ian feeling so elated he wants to scream for joy. "That waiter was hitting on you."

"I know Ian, I was there." Mickey replies with a smirk. 

"It just... you didn't flirt back."

Mickey frowns at him. "Yeah because we are dating." 

Ian wants to point out the obvious but instead he asks, "Does this mean we are back to normal?" Mickey stops walking and stands in front of him. 

"Ian, when you didn't come to visit me and I heard that you were dating all this..." sigh. "Not gonna lie, that shit fucking hurt. So when I came out, I decided to retaliate which was wrong of me and I'm owning that. But when I came home that day and I heard you...crying, I realised that maybe I didn't want to hurt you anymore." he breathes and looks up at Ian. "But no, we are not back to _normal._ But I'm willing to give this a shot."

Ian exhales in relief. "That mean you still love me?"

"You're a fucking idiot if I think I ever stopped."

Ian cant help but laugh breathlessly as he pulls Mickey in for a hug. Mickey slowly returns the hug and they stand there just basking in each other's presence. 

Mickey wasn't ready to go back to the way they were just yet. 

But Ian will wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry anon, I diverted from the prompt just a bit this last chapter. It was too painful for me. :(((  
> Hope u like it anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Clana01 who wanted an extra (thanksgiving) chapter and even provided the material. 
> 
> i understand its Thanksgiving in the US so **HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!**  
>  love u all so much!!! xoxo

**Two Months Later**

_Ian is walking home from work so excited to finally have his life back. The only thing that had been missing this entire time was having his relationship back on track. Having Mickey love him again. But that was all straightened out now. Mickey had forgiven him, they had decided to leave the past in the past and start their relationship a new. Something neither had been opposed to. They had all wronged each other and it was time to move on._

_He whistled as he let himself in their new one bedroom apartment that they had gotten together. He puts the grocery shopping on the floor so he can open the door. He lets himself in still humming that melody of the song he can't place but doesn’t even care. He is just so fucking happy right now. Ian walks into the kitchen and starts putting everything away. And that’s when he hears it._

_Moaning._

_It is really loud he doesn’t understand why he's hearing it just now. He slowly walks towards the direction of their bedroom his heart beating a mile a minute. He silently prays to whichever God that exists that what he finds in there…_

_“Fuck.” Ian cursers._

_He is already picturing Mickey getting pounded by another stranger he found out there even though they were way past that. He slowly opens the door and his breath catches when he finds clothes he doesn’t recognize on the floor by the door. He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. When he opens them what he sees he has to hold onto his chest and lean on the wall. He feels like someone keeps hitting his chest over and over._

_Mickey is on their bed, **their bed** with not one, but three men._

_“WHY?” Ian cries. “Why Mickey? Why?” Ian cries and hugs himself trying to figure out why he can never catch a break. His heart aches so bad he can feel it as it shutters into a million little pieces. He feels like he's literally about to die._

“Ian, wake the fuck up!”

Suddenly Ian wakes up to find Mickey straddling him and hovering over him. "Ian!"

He nods severally and tries to calm down his breathing. “I'm up. I'm up.” He repeats.

Mickey leans back relieved. “Fuck.” 

He gets up and walks out of their bedroom. Ian shakes his head a few times and looks around the bedroom of their new apartment. It's just him and Mickey here. There is no orgy featuring his boyfriend, it was just a bad, terrible fucking dream. He exhales in relief and rubs a hand across his sweaty face.

Mickey comes back with a wet cloth and dubs Ian's face, neck and chest. “Jesus Christ Ian, the fuck were you dreaming about? You sounded like you were getting chocked to death, fuck.”

Ian looks up at Mickey and caresses his cheek. “I'm glad we are us again.”

“Yeah me too. Come on, what was the dream about?”

Ian bites on his lips a few times. “I don’t remember.”

“Okay, okay. Don’t even worry about it. I got you.” Mickey drops the cloth and leans on the headboard pulling Ian with him. he lays Ian's head on his chest and caresses the red hair comfortingly. “I got you.” He repeats over and over until Ian falls asleep again.

 

______________

 

It's their day off and Ian is washing dishes trying not to think too hard about the dream. It has been weeks since Mickey decided it was just going to be the two of them, but sometimes….sometimes Ian woke up wondering. Wondering if today was the day Mickey changed his mind about fucking around. If now that Mickey knew Ian would never leave him he would decide to fuck a random and see if he could get away with it. 

He probably would. Ian sighs and wipes on the wet surface of the counter. Last night was not the first time he had a dream about Mickey cheating on him. it was just the first time he had woken Mickey because of it. He really wanted to stop feeling like this but he had no idea how. The cheating had happened so many times Ian had grown to expect it. And now, he was still scared of loosing Mickey. He was still worried that Mickey would one day decide he didn’t want to date him after all. 

He feels hand wrap around his waist and another in his pants. He chuckles lightly. “I'm trying to clean here.”

“Mmm… so keep cleaning and mind your business.”

Ian laughs. “I'm pretty sure my junk _is_ my business.”

Mickey turns him around and kisses him. “I wanna get cleaned up too.”

Ian bites on his bottom lip and pulls on it. “Do you now?”

“U-huh.”

“Okay, but first, what are we doing for Thanksgiving?” 

Mickey massages his dick and Ian's thoughts get derailed for a second. “Don’t care as long as we get to do this…” Mickey gets down on his knees and the next thing Ian knows is his dick is being engulfed in Mickey’s warm mouth. 

“Jesus.”

 

______________

 

One of Ian's friends was having a before Thanksgiving party. By the time they were done fucking it was night again and they arrived when the party was in full swing. 

“We are getting wasted right?” Mickey asks as he pours both of them shots.

“Then how will we get home?” Ian reasons.

“We will worry about that when the time comes.”

They click their glasses and Ian can't resist kissing Mickey's full lips. he holds onto the back of his neck and deepens the kiss grateful that he can do this and not feel like Mickey isn’t really his. Mickey has been faithful for months now and Ian gets to kiss him in public and call him his boyfriend. 

An hour into the party and Mickey has to use the bathroom so Ian takes one of the empty seats by the door. He's nursing his drink when some guy approaches him. “Hey, you’re Mickey's boyfriend, right?”

“Umm, yeah, why?”

The guy chuckles. “Because you are one lucky bastard. Last I checked you guys were in an open relationship, is that still on?”

Ian frowns at the guy and stands up. “No we’re not.”

The guy looks at Ian confused. “But when Mickey and I hooked up you let me leave with him so I assumed…”

Suddenly it downs on Ian that this one of the men that Mickey fucked. He looks around uncomfortably because he has no idea how to reply to that and he is busy freaking out about his dreams and his fear of Mickey leaving him. he needs to get away from this guy before Mickey comes back and remembers how the sex with him was. Ian doesn’t want his boyfriend taken away from him so the last thing he needs to do is refresh Mickey's memory.

He tries to walk away from the guy but the fucker follows him. 

“Hey,” Ian hears Mickey behind him and he turns around to face him. “You okay?” Mickey asks.

“Hey Mickey, long time no see.” The guy tells Mickey and goes as far as to hit Mickey on the shoulder fondly. 

Mickey looks at the guy and Ian thinks this is it. This where the last couple of months end. This is when Mickey goes back to his old ways. He can already feel tears prickling the corners of his eyes. He thinks he should excuse himself, like he has no right to be here. So with a heavy aching heart he starts to back away.

“Hi.” Mickey finally speaks. “You meet my boyfriend, Ian?” Ian stops.

The guy smiles at Ian. “Yeah, I remember him.”

“So why the fuck are you still here?” 

The guy looks between them confused. He stammers a few times but Mickey just lifts his no-nonsense eyebrows daring the guy to say something. Finally the unwanted guest sighs and walks away defeated. 

“Where were you going?” Mickey asks him.

“I…I”

Mickey sighs and takes Ian's hand caressing his knuckles. “I thought we agreed the past is the past.”

“It is.”

“Are you sure? Because last night you kept repeating _why Mickey why_ in your sleep.” Ian ducks his head. “It doesn’t take a genius to know what you were dreaming about. Come’ere.” Mickey guides Ian into the bathroom and puts down the toilet seat then gestures for Ian to seat on it. “Ian, what's done is done. It’s over. Let’s move on. Wouldn’t you like to move on?”

“I’d love to move on.”

“Good.” Mickey smiles at him and pecks his lips. “Then let’s do that.”

“Okay.”

“We are exclusive now Ian, and I will not cheat on you. You have my word.”

Ian nods happily and pulls Mickey by his waist so they can make out again. He did not ask for it but he is glad Mickey reassured him. It feels so good to hear Mickey confirm he doesn’t have to share him with anybody else anymore.

“Lets go home.” Mickey's suggests and Ian nods eagerly. 

 

____________

 

Ian leaves work early to make Thanksgiving dinner for him and Mickey. He cancels on his siblings because he just wants to be with Mickey tonight. He has had Thanksgiving with them for years, they can excuse him this one time. He buys the turkey and everything he will need for the stuffing but buys the pie from a bakery. It's a lot of food for two people but Ian wants this day to be special.

This is the first and only holiday he will be celebrating with Mickey. The first of many, so he wants to make it as special as he can. They have never celebrated any special occasions together to Ian wants to make the best out of this one.

He makes sure he prepares everything before Mickey and texts Mickey so that he can set the table minutes before his boyfriend gets here. He wants to make this a nice lovely surprise. 

He hears a knock on the door just in time. “Heeeey.” He greets as soon as he opens the door and lets Mickey in.

“Explain to me why I had to knock where I live?” Ian laughs and stands behind Mickey then covers his eyes. “Ian, what is this?” Mickey asks tiredly.

Ian doesn’t reply and instead walks towards the kitchen and sits Mickey on their beautifully set table if he were to go ahead and blow his own horn. “Surprise!”

Mickey blinks a few times then looks at all the food on the table. “Are we expecting visitors?”

“Nope, just you and me.” Ian replies as he goes to the cupboards to pull out plates. “Come wash your hands.”

Mickey does as he's told even though he still looks a little baffled. “What is all this?” 

“I just thought you and I could have our very own Thanksgiving. Just you and me.”

Mickey shakes his head and looks at all the food again. “You expect the two of us to eat all this? And an entire fucking turkey?”

Ian laughs. “Look on the bright side, we won't have to cook for atleast a week.”

“Well, I _am_ kind of hungry.”

“Great.” Ian reaches for the knife.

“Fuck that shit.” Mickey says and pulls one of the legs off the turkey. He dips it in soup and takes a big bite.

“Wow, you weren’t joking about being hungry, huh?”

 

_____________

 

“Fuck, I feel like I'm about to burst.” Mickey complains as they lay on the couch as they TV plays in the background silently. 

Ian pulls him closer and kisses his neck. “No one said you had to finish everything today.”

“Fuck off.” Mickey elbows Ian and he laughs. 

“That was nice. Thank you for humoring me.”

“It was nice.” Mickey sleeps on his back so he can look at Ian. “It was really nice.” He draws patterns on Ian's hand that’s on his stomach.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I've never celebrated Thanksgiving before.”

“Not even when you were younger?”

“No.” Mickey shakes his head and looks into Ian's eyes. “I'm glad you were my first.”

“I'm glad I was your first too.” They smile at each other goofily. “I love you Mick.”

“I know. I love you too Ian.”

They hug even in their sleeping position. Ian sighs into Mickey's shoulder happily.

“I would so love to have sex right now but I don’t think I can even fucking move.”

Mickey jokes and Ian laughs loudly. As much as he suffered he is glad he waited. This right here, is all he ever wanted. Everything he went through was all worth is as long as he gets to experience what he is feeling right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;))
> 
> again, happy Thanksgiving!


End file.
